AB1121 HOW FEARS AND HOPES HAVE EVOLVED IN PATIENTS WITH RMDs THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC? RESULTS FROM THE REUMAVID STUDY (PHASE 1 AND 2)
Authors: M. Garrido-Cumbrera, H. Marzo-Ortega, L. Christen, J. Correa-Fernández, E. Mateus, L. Grange, D. Webb, C. Jacklin, S. Irwin, S. Mingolla, K. Antonopoulou, S. Makri, V. Navarro-Compán
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has generated uncertainties and concerns along with expectations and hopes that may be of relevance to patients with rheumatic diseases. Objectives The aim of this study is to assess changes in the fears and hopes of patients with rheumatic diseases throughout the two phases of REUMAVID. Methods REUMAVID is an international cross-sectional study collecting data through an online survey in seven European countries led by the Health &amp; Territory Research group of the University of Seville, together with a multidisciplinary team including patient representatives, rheumatologists, and health researchers. Data were collected in two phases: Phase 1 (P1) between April-July 2020 and Phase 2 (P2) between February-April 2021. Demographics, health behaviours, employment status, access to healthcare services, disease characteristics, WHO-5 Well-Being Index and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Participants rated a series of fears (infection, medication consequences, lack of medication, impact on healthcare, lost job, civil disorder) on a scale from zero (“no concern at all”) to five (“extremely concerned”) and hopes (treatment/vaccine availability, going outside, travel, economic situation, treatment continuation, health status) on a scale from zero (“no hopeful at all”) to five (“extremely hopeful”). Descriptive analysis and Mann-Whitney test were used to explore fears and hopes in both phases of REUMAVID. Results A total of 3,802 participants were recruited across both phases in REUMAVID with comparable demographic characteristics: mean age 52.6 (P1) vs. 55.0 years (P2), 80.2% female (P1) vs. 83.7% (P2), 69.6% married (P1) vs. 68.3% (P2), and 48.6% university educated (P1) vs. 47.8% (P2). Most prevalent RMD was axial spondyloarthritis in P1 (37.2%), and rheumatoid arthritis in P2 (53.1%). In P1 and P2 the major concern was the impact on healthcare in the future (3.1 and 3.2 out of 5, p=0.051). Compared to P1, patients in P2 had less fears about RMD medications not reaching the country (2.4 vs. 1.9, p&lt;0.001), civil disorders (2.0 vs. 1.8, p=0.001), or losing their jobs (1.4 vs. 1.5, p=0.003). Comparing hopes with P1, patients in P2 had greater hopes about availability of treatments or vaccines suitable for COVID-19 (3.2 vs. 3.9, p&lt;0.001), to be able to go out as before the pandemic (3.1 vs. 3.5, p&lt;0.001), to be able to travel as before the pandemic (2.8 vs. 3.3, p&lt;0.001), maintain and even improve the current economic situation after the pandemic (2.6 vs. 3.0, p&lt;0.001), and to be able to continue their treatment as usual (3.8 vs. 3.8, p=0.049; Table 1) Table 1. Bivariate analysis of patients’ fears and hopes in both phases of REUMAVID (N= 3,802, unless specify) Mean ± SD P-value First Phase n= 1,800 Second phase n= 2,002 Fears Impact on healthcare in the future, n= 3,653 3.1 ± 1.6 3.2 ± 1.6 0.051 Treatment taken could make you more likely to get serious illness from COVID-19 infection, n= 3,651 2.8 ± 1.8 2.9 ± 1.8 0.160 More likely to be infected due to the condition, n= 3,649 2.8 ± 1.7 2.9 ± 1.7 0.040 Lack of medication, n= 3,656 2.4 ± 1.8 1.9 ± 1.8 &lt;0.001 Civil disorder, n= 3,634 2.0 ± 1.6 1.8 ± 1.7 0.001 Lost job, n= 3,566 1.5 ± 1.9 1.4 ± 1.9 0.003 Hopes Availability of a treatment or vaccine suitable for COVID-19, n= 3,318 3.2 ± 1.5 3.9 ± 1.3 &lt;0.001* Continue treatment as usual, n= 3,306 3.7 ± 1.4 3.8 ± 1.3 0.049* Go out as before the COVID-19 pandemic, n= 3,318 3.1 ± 1.5 3.5 ± 1.4 &lt;0.001* Don’t get infected with COVID-19 and continue in the same health, n= 3,280 3.5 ± 1.5 3.5 ± 1.5 0.696 Travel as before the COVID-19 pandemic, n= 3,311 2.8 ± 1.6 3.3 ± 1.5 &lt;0.001* Maintain or improve economic situation after the COVID-19 pandemic, n= 3,310 2.6 ± 1.7 3.0 ± 1.7 &lt;0.001* Conclusion During the first phase of REUMAVID at the beginning of the pandemic, patients with RMDs were more fearful and less hopeful compared to the second phase. These fears were notable in terms of lack of medication for their RMD, while during the second phase, patients were hopeful of a treatment or vaccine against COVID-19, and of being able to go out and travel as before. Acknowledgements This study was supported by Novartis Pharma AG. We would like to thank all patients that completed the survey as well as all of the patient organisations that participated in the REUMAVID study including: the Cyprus League for People with Rheumatism (CYLPER) from Cyprus, the Association Française de Lutte Anti-Rhumatismale (AFLAR) from France, the Hellenic League Against Rheumatism (ELEANA) from Greece, the Associazione Nazionale Persone con Malattie Reumatologiche e Rare (APMARR) from Italy, the Portuguese League Against Rheumatic Diseases (LPCDR), from Portugal, the Spanish Federation of Spondyloarthritis Associations (CEADE), the Spanish Patients’ Forum (FEP), UNiMiD, Spanish Rheumatology League (LIRE), Andalusian Rheumatology League (LIRA), Catalonia Rheumatology League and Galician Rheumatology League from Spain, and the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS), National Rheumatoid Arthritis (NRAS) and Arthritis Action from the United Kingdom. Disclosure of Interests Marco Garrido-Cumbrera Grant/research support from: has a research collaboration with and provides services to Novartis Pharma AG, Helena Marzo-Ortega Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Biogen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Takeda and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Laura Christen Employee of: Novartis Pharma AG, José Correa-Fernández: None declared, Elsa Mateus Grant/research support from: Pfizer, grants from Lilly Portugal, Sanofi, AbbVie, Novartis, Grünenthal S.A., MSD, Celgene, Medac, Janssen-Cilag, Pharmakern and GAfPA, LAURENT GRANGE: None declared, Dale Webb Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Biogen, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis and UCB, Clare Jacklin Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi and UCB, Shantel Irwin: None declared, Serena Mingolla: None declared, KATY ANTONOPOULOU: None declared, Souzi Makri Grant/research support from: Novartis, GSK and Bayer, Victoria Navarro-Compán Grant/research support from: Abbvie, BMS, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche and UCB